


Siren's Lover

by PhoenixPhaedrana



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, M/M, Sad, tw violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:42:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24898627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhoenixPhaedrana/pseuds/PhoenixPhaedrana
Summary: This is half the reason Savvy is, uhh, the way he is.





	Siren's Lover

"Do you ever feel like your insides are full of jellyfish?" 

Bert looked at Savvy in surprise for a moment before breaking down into laughter. His voice echoed off the rocks around the bay and filled Savvy's ears with music.

"Savvy, here on land we usually say 'my stomach's full of butterflies' or something, not jellyfish!" He reached out and brushed a lock of hair out of Savvy's eyes, allowing his hand to trail along the closed gill slits. The jellyfish- butterflies, maybe, jumped. Then Bert returned his attention to the oars, rowing the two of them farther out. Savvy crawled up and sat on the prow of the boat, allowing his clawed toes to trail in the waves they skimmed. 

The cove was a small line on the horizon by the time Bert let up on the oars, allowing them to drift freely with the currents. Bert wiped an arm across his brow. His arms were slim, but rippled with strong muscle. _He's so perfect._

"Now we're all on our own. Come on down here, Savvy." He gestured to the bench next to him. Savvy slid off the prow and settled next to him. Bert's warm body was so close and comforting. It made Savvy's heart turn over. Bert turned to face him, a broad smile on his open face. The stubbly bit of beard on his face was just enough to perfectly accentuate the lines of his pointed chin. Savvy’s fingers tingled to touch it, to feel its roughness.

"You know Savvy… I've been thinking, as we rowed out here…" he leaned a little closer. Savvy's heart quickened its cadence. 

“I really appreciate you saving me and all… I don’t want to think about what that thing would have done to me.” Savvy’s gills flared. It felt so… odd in the air, but as Bert's hand reached toward his face, he couldn't help himself. 

“It’s… it’s nothing. I couldn’t not! That… that ‘thing’ is my mother, you know… I don’t blame you for being scared, though. Honestly, she’s pretty terrifying.” Savvy’s words tumbled out of him in a nervous torrent as Bert's hand gently touched the delicate, feathered organs. Savvy felt a tremor of happiness beginning inside him. However, before it could even begin to express itself, the hand tightened with impossible force. A short scream ripped itself from Savvy's throat as fiery hot agony seared from the point of contact.

"Stop! _Stop that hurts!_ " Savvy jerked, trying to just _make the pain stop,_ but the hand held him helpless. 

"I told you my mother's sick, didn't I? You understand." Bert moved with quick purpose. A sudden cacophony of chattering made his grip loosen enough for Savvy to worm away. He tried to close his gills, but the movement sent a billion daggers through his neck. Panic sprang up like a shark, ripping at his senses. Bert stood over him, the fondness Savvy had grown used to in the preceding hours was gone, replaced by a landscape of ice. 

"She needs you more than you do. With what I can get from you… I can heal her. Now hold still, it won't hurt."

Savvy frantically clawed at the boards beneath him. A foot was planted firmly in his chest, bearing down with crushing force. He cried out again as a spine on his dorsal fin snapped, sending a lesser agony into his back before it went numb. 

A barbed spear was now in Bert’s hand, and it was all Savvy could do to roll over as another enraged chattering shriek rang out from the starboard side. The horrendous sound of metal making contact with flesh filled Savvy's consciousness. For half a second, he thought this was the worst thing he had ever experienced. Then the pain hit. It almost made him pass out, only pure determination keeping him from slipping away to what would surely be his death. He took a few panting breaths, and then screamed. Every ounce of pain, heartache, and numb betrayal he was poured into his voice as he unleashed every ounce of magic he could muster. Bert stumbled back, his eyes glazing with pain and terror. He dropped the barbed spear that was now half buried in Savvy’s side, causing it to wrench against his flesh.

Savvy clawed at the wood, his sharp talons digging deep into the soft timber of the craft as he finally made leeway. He sobbed, pearly tears dropping like lead into the water before dissipating their glow in the deep grey blue. As he dragged himself over the side, the loose garment he wore caught on the side of the small boat. He glanced frantically over his shoulder. Bert was shaking off the spell, and looking ready to fight again. Savvy’s vocal cords burned in the aftermath of the sound he had made. He tore at his clothing in panic, managing to rip off the offending part and finally falling into the cool embrace of the ocean. Even as he hit the water and felt the smooth skin of a dolphin rubbing against him, he was already slipping into blissful unconsciousness. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is half the reason Savvy is, uhh, the way he is.


End file.
